St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-09-25
THE oLD-TIME MINsTRELs.
Interesting Facts About the Pho
neers of Burnt Cork and Weld
ers of the "BOnes."

Interesting Facts About the Pho
neers of Burnt Cork and Weld
ers of the "Bones."
Baltimore American.
The first band of MINISTRIES ever
formed was in New York in 1912. Frank
Brewer and Dan Emmett had been do
double act at the Franklin theater,
New York, when benefit was given at
the Bowery circus. Four per-
formers volunteered and did
their songs and dances on board in the
ring. The performers consisted of Frank
Brewer, Dan Emmett, Bill Pell and
Frank Germon. 1t hit the public.
George B. Woodbridge got them to APP
pear in the Park theater for a few
nights, and then they went over to
England. From this crude beginning
sprang all the great bands of later days.
They appeared in plantation suits, as
"a first part was not known at that
time.
E. p. Christy was playing fiddle in
dance hall in Buffalo, n. Y. He started
a band of ''serenaders," as they were
then called-not ''minstrels." 1t was
composed of Dick Hooley, Earl Pierce,
George Harrington George Christy) and
a few others. They played in the towns
on the Erie canal and Christy wisely To-
Gated in New York, where he eStab-
lished "the Christy Minstrels." He
went also to London and founded a
company, and it is now a fixed institu-
ton. Pony Moore is at the head of it
and has made a fortune in the British
Isle. At New York E. p. Christy was
the middle man and George Harrington,
who took the name OF Christy, was the
gay and festive clinker of the bones and
fun maker in general. Dave Reed was
on the tambourine end. George was as
light as feather, effervescent with
humOr and buoyant in good nature; but
he was too fond of life" which caused
his death. He drank to eX-
cess; gambled high; he grew
lazy, heavy and cumbersome. His
domestic troubles wore upon him, and
his last years were passed in poverty
and in obscurity. E. P. Christy became
very wealthy, but the war coming ON,
he came impressed with the idea that
his money would be swept away and he
insanity threw himself out of a window
and killed himself. HoOley is now
prosperous manager in Chicago.
The Campbell minstrels then came to
the front. Luke West, Matt Peel, Bill
Newcomb were members of this party,
likewise an excellent performer by the
name of Merit Sexton. Newcomb and
Rumsey minstrels then came before the
public. They made a great deal of
money and fine reputation. This
band went the rounds of the country.
They went over to our English cousins,
winning golden opinions and coin.
They then went to the West
Indies and succeeded, but made won
derful failure in Germany, where they
were Kissed and finally driven from the
theatef, as the people expected to see
real negroes instead of white men with
blackened faces. They considered their
show Swindle and treated them ac-
cordingly. Newcomb disbanded his
company after he returned home and
went into business he did not under
stand and failed. He died with only
cents in his pocket.
James DumbletOn, of Baltimore,a cir
Stanwood Harrington, Gill Pell, G. A.
White, j. Howard and others took the
road. They also went to merry Eng
land" and were success. They got
back home after two years, and ap-
peared at Palmo's opera house,
Network. But during Dumble-
toms visit to Europe the "Chrys-
ties'' had gained such a firm
hold in the Empire City that Dumbleton
dlSbanded his troupe and went back
into the circus business. Most of his
performers joined Christy.
Sam S. Sanford also started a COM
pany, and for long time they were
fayorite party. "OIe Bull'' Myers, Jim
Sanford and Eph Horn were great
"cardS" with this patry.